• Did you know that majority of marriages fail because of wobbly marriage preparation?

• Did you know that to get married in New Wine Church you must attend the 9-week marriage preparation programme?

• Are you already married but would like to further enrich your marriage?

If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions or you know of people that might have answered yes, then the Marriage Enrichment Ministry (MEM) has something for you. MEM was set up to help develop strong marriages. It’s increasingly becoming clear to all that the type of storms that confront a marriage in our world today requires the supernatural touch of God for that marriage to be successful. It’s not a case of whether the storms will come, because they surely will, but whether that marriage is adequately equipped to deal with the storms when they arrive. What’s more, the institution of marriage in our society today has been very much trivialised. Commitment has gone out of fashion and people are marrying and divorcing with the flimsiest of excuses these days. Things like pre-nuptials have become common place among our ‘so-called’ celebrities, and it is not surprising that other people are doing the same. However, the institution of marriage as intended by God is blissful when built on the proper foundation. The MEM team are passionate about helping couples to develop the proper foundation, thus developing marriages that help to restore value into the institution of marriage.

The ministry objectives are delivered via four main areas:

1 - Marriage Preparation

The marriage preparation programme (MPP) is for couples considering engagement and marriage. It covers topics such as God’s mandate to the husband and wife, communication, resolving conflict, finance, etc. The 9-week programme runs weekly on Thursdays from 7pm to 9.30pm at least twice yearly. Whilst based on Christian principles, MPP is very helpful for any new couple with or without a Christian faith or church background.

2 - Marriage Enrichment

The marriage enrichment arm of the ministry is designed to promote better marriages by providing opportunities for couples to learn and develop, have fun, increase intimacy, and strengthen their relationships. Marriage enrichment is delivered in two ways: Marriage Enrichment Programme (MEP) MEP sessions are set up to give any married couple the tools to further develop strong and healthy relationships. It covers most of the topics covered during the 9-week MPP but with a practical perspective of life during the marriage. MEP is relevant for couples regardless of how long they have been married. It also serves as an invaluable follow-on programme for couples that have attended MPP. Marriage Enrichment Events These events are designed to stimulate ongoing growth and development among couples. They aim to create a network of couples interested in enriching their marriages. Events types include: full day or weekend retreats, date-nights, dance evenings, etc.

3 - Marriage Counselling

When couples go through problems in their marriages, even to the point where the threats of separation or divorce are very real, what is often required is the intervention of another party with an objective viewpoint. Marriage counselling generally helps to provide this. Many couples find success through marriage counselling, as it is a method that is used to assist couples with all sorts of issues. Consequently, marriage counselling is not strictly reserved for those on the brink of a break-up or for those where one partner has had an affair. The aim of marriage counselling will be to assist couples in their relationships, including premarital counselling prior to making a firm commitment to a partner.

4 – Weddings

New Wine Church offers two types of wedding ceremonies: a) registered marriage; and b) church blessing, which also includes renewal of vows. Couples looking to get married in New Wine Church will usually get in touch via the church information desk or via the church office. They will be asked to complete the MPP application form and subsequently put in touch with the MEM faculty. Our church building, Gateway House, is licensed to conduct civil weddings; therefore, there is no need for a couple to have a separate ‘registry wedding ceremony’ elsewhere prior to getting married in New Wine Church.